Fabric-coating machine.



No. 836,743. PATENTEDINOV. 27, 1906.

' R .FALTER. I

FABRIC COATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED r2315, 190s.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

/N VE N TOR Mano 42 ,4 T TORNE Y YHE upnms PETERS w.. wasnuvercN. n. c.

PATBNTED NOV. 27, 1906.

R.FALTER. FABRIC comm MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEE-15, 1906.

-.-I-I.-:I. .I.I E

m MM A a M M mm? *THE NORRS PETERS 00., \vAsnmnroN, p. c.

RICHARD FALTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FABRIC-COATING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 27, 1906.

Application filed February 15,1906. Serial No. 301,254.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD FALTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Fabric-Coating Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to coating-machines and the like, such as areintended particularly for applying dry or solid waterproofing materialto fabrics, although the machine of my invention may be used for otherpurposes, if desired.

It is well known that machines of the character specified usually employone or more bars of solid waterproofing substance, over which the fabricis drawn. After taking up a certain amount of the waterproofingsubstance from the bars the fabric is passed be tween or overcalender-rolls, which temporarily heat the waterproof substance anddrive it into the fabric. The bars of waterproof substance usually restupon the upper surface of the fabric. As such bars are comparativelyheavy at first the fabric takes up a considerable amount ofwaterproofing substance. Then as the bars gradually wear away and loseweight the pressure on the fabric decreases, so that a lighter coatingof waterproof material is applied to the fabric. In this way the fabricis unevenly coated with waterproof material. It has been proposedheretofore to overcome this dilficulty by supporting the bar or barsbelow the fabric by means of pivoted frames havingcounterbalance-weights adapted to be manually adjusted from time to timeas the bars Wear away and lose weight, so as to maintain anapproximately uniform pressure against the fabric. This constructiondoes not entirely solve the problem, as the adjustment of thecounterbalance-weights is dependent upon the presence and care of anattendant, who cannot be adjusting the weights constantly, and thereforedoes not move them until an appreciable part of the bar has worn away.For this reason even with the manually-adjustable counterbalance-weightsthe fabric is usually coated in an uneven manner.

Therefore one object of my present invention is to combine with amachine of the character specified efficient and thoroughly practicalmeans for automatically changing the position of thecounterbalance-weights as the waterproofing-bar wears away, whereby thewaterproof material will always bear with the same weight against thefabric, and even or uniform coating will result.

So far as I am aware machines of the character to which my inventionrelates have alwaysemployed at least two bars of waterproof material incoating both sides of the fabric.

Another object of my invention, therefore, is to coat both sides of thefabric with the use of only one bar of waterproof material.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with myinvention. F ig. 2 is a vertical section through a construction such asshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4 is a detail view of amodification.

The frame of this improved machine may be of any suitable form andconstruction, and it is therefore not necessary specifically to describethe same. Suitably j ournaled between the members 1 and 2 of the frameis an obliquely-mounted roll 3, which serves to per mit the fabric to befed into the machine from one side and then turned at a right anglebefore being fed into contact with the bar 4 of waterproof material.After leaving the oblique roll 3 the fabric (which is desig nated 6)passes over a small idle roll 7 and around a large driven roll8. Fromthe roll 8, which serves to press one side of the fabric closely incontact with the upper end of the bar 4 of waterproof material, thefabric passes around the pair of idle rolls 9 10. From the rolls 9 10the fabric passes under an idle roll 11 and over a driven roll 12, whichserves to press the opposite or uncoated side of the fabric firmlyagainst the lower surface of the bar 4 of waterproof material. From theroll 12 the fabric passes between a pair of ordinary calender-rolls1314, which serve temporarily to heat the waterproof substance which hasbeen applied to the opposite sides of the fabric and to drive the sameinto the fibers thereof.

While the driving-rolls 8 and 12 maybe mounted in any suitable mannerwhich will adapt them to move toward each other as the bar of waterproofsubstance wears away, yet it is preferred that said rolls be journalednormal conditions is held a short distance above the lower end of theslots 16 bymeans .of a lever 17, which is provided at its front or lowerend with a link 18, suitably connect- I ed with the bearing-block of theroll 12. By means of the lever or other equivalent mechanism foraccomplishing the same result the lower roll 12 may be moved downwardaway from the bar 4 whenever it is desired to thread or initially feedthe fabric into the machine.

The upper roll 8 preferably is partially supported by means of asuitable weight or counterbalance 20, slidably mounted in any suitablemanner upon a lever 21, which is pivoted at 22 upon the machine-frameand is connected, by means of a suitable link 23, with the journal-block15 of the upper roll 8, so as to prevent the entire weight of said rollfrom bearing upon the fabric, and thus causing it to take up anexcessive quantity of water proof material. It will be understood thatthe mechanism comprising the lever 21, counterbalance 20, link 23, &c.,is duplicated on opposite sides of the machine in order to support bothends of the roll 8.

As previously described, in order to effect an even coating of thefabric I have provided automatic means for compensating for thedecreased weight of the bar 4 as it gradually wears away. The preferredmeans for accomplishing this result comprises an anglelever '25, whichis suitably pivoted upon the machine-frame, as indicated at 26. Theupper end 27 of the lever 25 is suitably in contact with the attachingmeans of the counterbalance 20. The lower end 28 of the lever 25 issuitably forked so as to adapt it to em brace or fit the journal of thedriven roll 8. By reason of the fact that the counterbalance is slidablein a longitudinal direction upon the lever 21 it will be apparent thatas the roll 8 gradually descends in the slot 16 as the waterproof barwears away said roll rocks the lever 25 in such manner as to move thecounterbalance 20 longitudinally toward its fulcrum-point 22. Thismovement of the counterbalance 20 serves to increase the weight of theroll 8 upon the bar 4 of waterproof material, for which reason it willbe apparent that the gradually-increasing weight of the roll 8automatically compensates for the gradually-decreasing weight of the bar4,

and consequently results in an even coating of the fabric of thewaterproof material.

As the roll 8 gradually descends in the slot 16 it will be apparent thatthe distance in a straight line between the roll 8 and the roll 9gradually increases. In order to prevent this increased displacement ofthe rolls 8 and 9 from unduly stretching the fabric, I prefer that thejournal-blocks of the roll 9 be slidably mounted in any suitable mannerfrom the upper end of the frame 1. The slidable blocks 30 are suitablyconnected, by means of flexible elements 31, with counterbalance-weights 32. By reason of the fact that thecounterbalance-weights 32 permit the roll 9 to move toward the roll 8whenever the fabric is placed under increased tension such constructioneffectively avoids any undesirable stretching of the fabric. While thecalender-rolls 13 14, as well as the rolls 8 and 12, may be driven inany suitable manner, I prefer that the power be applied from anyconvenient source to the calender-rolls 13 and 14. From thecalender-rolls the power is suitably transmitted, by means of asprocketchain 35, to the roll 12, from which it is transmitted, by meansof a chain or belt 36, to a gear-roll 37, journaled upon a link 38,which is pivotally connected with the journal of the roll 12. Thegear-roll .37 transmits its power to the gear-roll 38, which in turntransmits the power by means of a sprocket-chain 39 to the upper roll 8.The gear-rolls 37 and 38 are held in proper relative position by meansof links 40 and 41. By means of the construction shown the rolls 8 and12 can be driven simultaneously without preventing the roll 8 frommoving downward toward the roll 12. In threading the machine the le ver21 is operated manually to raise the upper roll 8.

While the bar 4, of waterproof material, may be held in position by anysuitable mechanism, it is preferred that said bar be inserted into themachine from the side that is, through the slot 1 6and that it be heldin position by, means of plates 45, provided at their opposite ends withsuitable angular bolts 46, which project through vertical slots 47 inthe side plates 2 of the frame. The vertical slots 47 permit the platesto slide downward gradually as the bar 4 wears away.

It will be observed from Fig. 2 that the rolls 8 and 12 serve to concavethe upper and lower ends of the bar 4. In some cases it may be desiredto prevent this concaving of the bar 4. I accomplish this result byremoving from the machine the rolls 8 and 12 and by substitutingtherefor suitable pressure-blocks 50, such as shown in Fig. 4. Thepressure-blocks 50 preferably are provided with suitable trunnions 51,which engage the journal-blocks 15 of the rolls 8 and 12, whereby thesame j ournal-blocks may be used for both constructions.

It will be apparent that the pressure-blocks 50 present flat surfaces tothe ends of the bar 4, so as to permit the fabric to be drawn fihereoverwithout concaving the ends of the From the foregoing description, incon- ITO nection with the drawings, it will be observed that myinvention provides a fabric-coating machine which permits the fabric tobe fed into the apparatus at a right angle to the bar 4, of Waterproofmaterial, whereby a compact construction is secured. Furthermore, itwill be observed that I have provided improved means for automaticallycompensating for the gradually-decreasing weight of the bar ofwaterproof material, whereby to effect uniform coating of the fabric.Moreover, it will be observed that by means .of my construction a singlebar of Waterproof material can be employed for coating both sides of thefabric, Whereas, so far as I am aware, it has always been necessaryheretofore to employ at least two bars of waterproof material foracccomplishing this result.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. Acoating-machine comprising a pair of pressure elements, means forholding a bar of coating substance between said pressure elements, andmeans for moving a strip of material between the rolls and pressureelements with one side in contact with one portion of the bar and theother side in contact with another portion of the bar.

2. A coating-machine comprising means for moving a strip of material,means for holding a bar of coating substance in contact with said strip,and means for automatically maintaining a uniform pressure between thestrip and the bar.

3. A coating-machine comprising means for moving a strip of material,means for holding a bar of coating substance in contact with said stripand means for automatically maintaining a uniform pressure between thestrip and bar by compensating for loss of weight as the bar wears away.

4. A coating-machine comprising means for moving a strip of material,means for holding a bar of coating substance in contact with said strip,and automatically-adjustable counterbalance means for maintaining a uniform pressure between the strip and bar as the latter wears away.

5. A coating-machine comprising means for holding a bar of coatingsubstance, means for moving a strip of material into the machine at anangle to the bar of coating sub stance, and means for moving the stripof material through the machine with both of its sides in contact withsaid bar.

6. A coating-machine comprising a pair of pressure elements, means forholding a bar of coating substance between said pressure elements, meansfor moving fabric with both of its sides in contact with said bar, andcounterbalance mechanism connected with one of said pressure elementsfor substantially the purposes set forth.

7. A coating-machine comprising a pair of pressure elements disposed oneabove the other, means for holding a bar of coating substance betweenthe pressure elements, means for moving a strip of material through themachine with both of its sides in contact with said bar, andautomatically-adjustable counterbalance mechanism connected. with one ofsaid pressure elements.

8. A coating-machine having an obliquelymounted roll for feeding fabricinto the machine, a pair of pressure elements disposed one above theother, means for holding a bar of waterproof substance between the pressure elements, means for moving the strip of material with both of itssides in contact with said bar, and automatically-adjustablecounterbalance mechanism connected with one of said pressure elements.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 1st day of February, 1906.

RICHARD FALTER. Witnesses:

CHARLES E. FLEMING, 0. GRANT ESTERBROOK.

